Raila, Karua Cleared For August 9 Presidential Race

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 5- Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance presidential candidate Raila Odinga and his running mate Martha Karua have been cleared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to vie for the August 9 presidential seat.

This will now be Odinga’s fifth attempt to become Kenya’s President.

IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati handed the former Prime Minister the clearance certificate at the Bomas of Kenya on Sunday.

He was in the company of dozens of leaders including Karua’s father and mother.

“We have confidence that the IEBC has got the capacity to conduct free and fair elections.  We therefore would like to urge you to live by the script and do exactly what the people of Kenya expect of you,” Odinga said.

He urged Kenyans to conduct themselves peacefully during the electioneering period.

He defended media coverage of presidential campaigns as objective amid concerns of skewed reporting by a section of media houses.

Deputy President William Ruto-who raised the concerns is the Kenya Kwanza presidential candidate.

“We would like to see a free and fair electoral process, we want this exercise to be done also in a free manner, we want Kenyans to be able on the 9^th of August to freely express their will, to speak freely that these is what Kenyans want,” Odinga.

Earlier, Odinga attended a church service at the All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi before proceeding to Bomas.

After being cleared by IEBC, Odinga proceeded to Undugu Grounds in Langata for a rally before traveling to Nakuru where he will hold roadside rallies.

He is set to release his manifesto on Monday at an event held in Nairobi.